The ability to buy an affordable home is a piece of the American Dream that is fading away for more and more middle-class families in the Flathead Valley, especially in a ski resort town like Whitefish.

There’s been a constant mantra from public officials, local politicians and citizens that more needs to be done to provide affordable housing for the valley’s work force. We’ve been writing about the housing crisis for well over two decades.

One appraiser told the Whitefish City Council in 1996 that affordable homes in Whitefish were “almost an impossibility.” Well, that’s still the case.

Various affordable-housing programs have been offered through the years, with varying levels of success, but it’s never been enough to make a difference.

It was encouraging to see community leaders come together in Whitefish last week to address what is now a desperate situation for Whitefish’s service industry workers. The forum sponsored by Montana West Economic Development, with the cooperation of the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce and the city of Whitefish, shed valuable light on the problem.

Participants in this housing summit agreed to form a task force to start looking for solutions.

Being able to provide affordable places for workers to live is a vital part of Whitefish’s economy, Whitefish Chamber Director Kevin Gartland noted. He’s right in stressing that leaders can’t just keeping kicking the can down the road.

Answers to the housing crisis won’t be found overnight, but this task force certainly is a step in the right direction.

Turnage true statesman

Montana lost a great leader with the recent death of Jean Turnage.

Turnage was a former chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court and a long-serving Republican leader in the Legislature.

He was fondly remembered by colleagues both for his judicial and legislative accomplishments and collegial leadership.

His legacy of statesmanship and respect should be a lesson for today’s leaders.